As soon as Eita Semi arrived on the court, his distinct style of setting became evident.
He repeatedly attempted to use his sets to bypass Karasuno's blockers instead of solely relying on Ushijima to score. Under his direction, Shiratorizawa's attack became more diverse.
However...
While this strategy helped conserve Ushijima's energy, the other attackers couldn't match his overwhelming power. Karasuno's front-row blockers managed to shut down most of Shiratorizawa's alternative attacking options.
Under these circumstances, Karasuno gradually began to pull ahead in the score.
Bang!
"Left side!"
"Block the cross!"
Three blockers jumped simultaneously, sealing off the angle against Tendō Satori's spike!
The cross-court shot was entirely cut off, leaving only a narrow straight-shot lane.
Bang!
Though Tendō was primarily known for his blocking skills, that didn't mean he was weak at attacking.
Shiratorizawa's players had few weaknesses.
As the reigning champions of Miyagi Prefecture, the team was composed of the best players the region had to offer. Their starting lineup was filled with some of the strongest competitors in the prefecture.
Swish!
Seeing Tendō's spike in action, Ushijima's eyes narrowed from the sidelines.
Here it comes again...
That suffocating feeling.
"Not good!"
Realizing something, Ushijima rushed toward Tendō's landing zone.
But...
He was too late!
Just as Tendō was about to spike, Akira suddenly shifted his hands sideways!
He sealed off the last remaining gap completely!
A perfect block!
Bang!
The ball was completely shut down!
Even though Ushijima had anticipated Akira's move, his diving attempt to save the ball was just a fraction too slow!
Tweet!
Karasuno scored again!
"Hmph..."
Tendō clicked his tongue in frustration but quickly turned back to his teammates.
Meanwhile, Ushijima stood deep in thought, watching the volleyball roll across the court.
"He's sealing off attacking lanes step by step?"
Noticing Ushijima's contemplative look, Akira smirked.
Has the prey finally realized the trap?
Then it's time to close the net completely!
After the previous set, Akira had a solid understanding of Ushijima's spiking tendencies.
Now, it was time to try stopping him entirely!
...
"Kageyama! Give us a strong serve!"
Kageyama's jump serve was still threatening, but Shiratorizawa's receive was solid.
"Ushijima!"
Semi's eyes lit up as he saw the perfect positioning for a set.
"Block the straight shot!"
In previous situations, Akira had instructed his blockers to cover the cross-court attack.
But this time, he changed tactics!
The other two blockers joined him in front of Ushijima's spike!
Now, alongside Akira in the front row were Karasuno's most physically dominant blockers: Tsukishima and Daichi.
When Akira adjusted his blocking strategy, it became significantly harder for Ushijima to find a clean shot!
Meanwhile, Karasuno's back-row defenders positioned themselves to cover the cross-court attack, with Kageyama backing up the three blockers for potential tips or soft shots.
Based on Akira's analysis, Ushijima's most likely attack option in this situation was a near-net cross shot!
Because when these three stood in Karasuno's front row, Ushijima typically tried to avoid the block rather than brute-force through it.
However, what Ushijima hadn't noticed was that Akira's jump was slightly different this time.
At first glance, it looked like he was covering the straight shot. But when he actually jumped, Akira shifted to the cross-court lane!
Boom!
While midair, Ushijima caught a glimpse of Akira's movement from the corner of his eye.
"Huh?"
"You think that's enough to stop me?"
Realizing that Akira had shifted to block his preferred attack angle, Ushijima remained composed.
Because now, with Akira jumping diagonally, the straight-shot lane was wide open!
A faint smile formed at the corner of Ushijima's mouth.
With his power, adjusting his attack angle wasn't difficult.
And he was confident that even after changing direction, his spike would remain just as lethal!
"Pay the price for your choice!"
Bang!
At the last moment, Ushijima rotated his wrist, launching the ball straight into the exposed gap!
A perfect counter!
Shiratorizawa was about to reclaim momentum!
This is the power of an ace!
But just as the ball left Ushijima's hand...
Akira twisted his arms midair!!
The gap was instantly sealed!
Though his head and torso were positioned toward the right, his hands bent backward toward the left, forming a sharp, unexpected blocking angle!
Bang!
Ushijima's unstoppable spike crashed into Akira's arms!
The invincible attack met an iron wall!
Before Shiratorizawa's defenders could react, the ball rebounded straight to the floor!
Ushijima's spike was blocked!
Shiratorizawa lost another point!
Tweet!